Hyundai · Elantra · 2020
2020 Hyundai Elantra: problems & reliability
NHTSA has logged 255 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The most-reported problem area is the engine (43% of complaints), followed by transmission & powertrain and exterior lighting. Make sure every open recall has been fixed by a dealer before you buy.
Common 2020 Hyundai Elantra problems
5-
Engine problems
109 owner complaints to NHTSA (43% of all complaints for this model year) involve the engine, including 3 crashes, 4 fires, 3 injuries. One owner reported: “Engine blew up on the highway almost causing an accident. The car has had problems with rapid oil consumption since 20000 miles on the car. Always checked oil everyday and added oil when needed and regular oil changes every 3000 miles car…”
-
Transmission & powertrain problems
48 owner complaints to NHTSA (19% of all complaints for this model year) involve the transmission & powertrain. One owner reported: “I am reporting a serious transmission problem with my 2020 Hyundai Elantra, which has approximately 66,000 miles I purchased this vehicle from a private seller approximately two months ago. At the time of purchase, the vehicle drove great…”
-
Exterior lighting problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA (11% of all complaints for this model year) involve the exterior lighting, including 1 fire. One owner reported: “Unknown and about 4 months ago my headlights stopped working one would go out I’d replace the bulb then the other goes out then a different bulb in my headlight would go out I’d replace it and it would go out again then the connectors were…”
-
Electrical system problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA (11% of all complaints for this model year) involve the electrical system, including 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. One owner reported: “2020 HYUNDAI [XXX], VIN: [XXX] Incident Description: On XXX I was pulling into a parking spot and had my foot firmly on the brake pedal. When I attempted to shift the vehicle into Park the engine suddenly revved up excessively. The vehicle…”
-
Steering problems
20 owner complaints to NHTSA (8% of all complaints for this model year) involve the steering, including 5 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. One owner reported: “The contact called on behalf of their son who owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while their son was decelerating, speed was unknown, and coming to a stop sign. The next thing their son was able to recall was that the…”
Owner complaints by area
| Area | Complaints | Share | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 109 | 43% | |
| Transmission & powertrain | 48 | 19% | |
| Exterior lighting | 28 | 11% | |
| Electrical system | 27 | 11% | |
| Steering | 20 | 8% | |
| Brakes | 14 | 5% | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 14 | 5% | |
| Speed control & acceleration | 13 | 5% |
255 complaints filed with NHTSA in total, reporting 21 crashes, 6 fires, 16 injuries, 2 deaths. A complaint can involve more than one area.
2020 Hyundai Elantra recalls
3-
Engine
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
Full recall summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
-
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Risk: A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.
Full recall summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
-
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Risk: A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.
Full recall summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. To check whether a specific car’s recalls have been repaired, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2020 Hyundai Elantra crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ between body styles and drivetrains.
How fast will a 2020 Hyundai Elantra lose value?
Enter what you'd pay and how much you drive to see the projected resale value.
Enter a purchase price to see the projection.
Estimate based on typical age-based depreciation, this model year's reliability score and mileage. Actual resale depends on condition, trim, location and history.
Specifications
- Drivetrains
- FWD
- Body styles
- 4-door
Other Hyundai Elantra years
About this data
Problems, complaint counts, recalls and crash-test ratings come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public databases, last checked 2026-11-03. Complaints are reports from owners and have not all been verified by NHTSA.
How we score reliability: every model year starts at 100. Points come off for the number of owner complaints (on a log scale, up to 40 points), for each safety recall (2 points each, up to 15) and for complaints involving crashes, fires, injuries or deaths (up to 15). Popular vehicles get more complaints simply because more are on the road, so compare scores between similar vehicles. More about our method.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us.